HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

Lately I’ve been experimenting with an HDMI to AV converter for viewing video from a laptop on my TV22 via an Aurora converter. The conversion itself works well and the picture quality seems good, however I’m having problems getting the correct aspect ratio.

Widescreen video which fills the laptop screen appears to come through ok with corner-to-corner coverage of the TV screen. However, most of the old TV shows I’m trying to watch are in 4:3 rather than widescreen, hence they appear on YouTube etc. with two black bars at the sides of the frame to make up the rest of the image as viewed on the laptop. When viewed on the TV22, the black bars prevent the picture filling the screen and cause it to be overly narrow.

I know plenty of other people have used similar HDMI-AV converters in this application, and was wondering how they overcame this problem. I’ve tried altering various display settings on the laptop without success. It seems what would really be required is a way to ‘stretch’ the 4:3 image corner-to-corner on the laptop. Other than that, I suppose I could just adjust the width control on the TV - although this would be a bit of a hassle if I wanted it back to normal on a regular basis.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

Liam

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

I'd be interested to learn of a solution to this too.

There is so much now on YouTube suitable for watching on vintage televisions, I can see myself not bothering to maintain a collection of my own in future.

Steve

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

These: http://tinyurl.com/mjfctex

work well and allow you to alter the height and width.

Peter

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

Thanks Peter. That looks ideal. Not sure if I have a VGA port on my laptop but I may have a USB adapter somewhere.

How do you go about getting the sound? Straight from the phono jack?

Liam

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

It may also be the video output settings on the laptop. If it allows you to change the aspect ratio of the HDMI output without affecting that of the laptop's internal LCD screen, maybe that is worth trying?

Also it may be that whoever uploads those might have intentionally put bars on either side before uploading, or they may have ripped from a DVD where the publisher has done that. Most times something on YouTube is in 4:3 is because it was uploaded that way but I have come across a few old series where somewhere along the line the aspect ratio has been messed around with.

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

One way off viewing YouTube on 405 lines is to use a PlayStation 3 as it has RCA connectors that just go into the Aurora. This is the way I view YouTube videos on my 405 line sets and you don't get the black bars to the sides of the video.

PlayStation 3's are pretty cheap now so is a good option to avoid the whole HDMI problem.

Regards

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

...AND you can try playing games on 405, too.

It isn't as easy as you think. These games aren't designed with B&W in mind!

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

I actually tried this when I was first testing the TV22. I couldn't find any analogue sources other than my old Xbox. ;D

At that stage I was getting sound-on-vision interference on the set. Definately adds another dimenion to shooting games when the gunshots break up the picture!

I might try the PS3 suggestion (assuming I can remember where mine is ??? ). I also ended up ordering one of the VGA adapters as I think this could be really handy for vintage TVs.

Liam

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

I hope all works out for you :-)

As for playing video games on 405 lines I played though mafia 2 on one of my sets! The game is set in the 40s and 50s and was completely playable in b/w in fact it suited it very wall. I have never played the game in colour :p I probably should some time.

S

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

What a good idea - must try it - much better than messing around with the vagaries of HDMI when you don't need

rgds to all
John

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

Hi Liam,

Yes, 3.5 mm jack on your PC direct to phonos on Aurora.

Peter

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

Just to close this one out for future reference, the VGA converter finally arrived from Malaysia yesterday after almost a month.

As Peter has said, it provides control of picture width and height. It also controls horizontal and vertical position, contrast, brightness, sharpness and quite a few other things. The brightness and contrast adjustments are handy for fine tuning the picture without disturbing the controls on the TV itself. The black bars issue is completely solved by using the converter and it plays fine from YouTube and other video players.

The only drawback I’ve found so far is the sheer number of cables and converters required – six cables and two converters (one VGA and one Aurora) to get from the laptop to 405 + sound. Definitely worth the hassle though!

Liam

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

Hi i have done this myself with one of my tvs. but to get the correct aspect ratio you need an older pc. i use a vga to composite took the yellow wire from the converter and the audio from the pc using a jack to composite splitter. than ran it in to a rf modulator and to the tv. i can do a video of the setup if anyone wants to see it. reason for the older pc it has support for 4:3 at low resolutions.

i also have done the same with hdmi but setup diftently. i used a hdmi to component converter and used a newer vcr with component in and recorded pc to vhs tape. iused the vcr modulator to send picture to tv. but this method you get overscan

Alan

Re: HDMI to AV converter with Aurora - aspect ratio problem
 

My laptop's native resolution must be about 16:9 but as soon as the converter is plugged in the screen adjusts to 4:3 automatically. The laptop is about 5 years old running Windows 7.

Liam